I hate business travelers.
Jun 27, 2023, 10:28 pm
#406
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
It would be interesting to see how business travel and travelers have changed since Covid, considering that now there are as moany leisure travellers (if not more).
Jun 27, 2023, 10:53 pm
#407
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,369
Jun 28, 2023, 5:42 am
#408
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,297
If anything, the OPM flyer has gotten grumpier because there is so much less upgrade space to go around these days and work only allows purchasing of Y.
Jun 28, 2023, 8:07 am
#409
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
i havent seen a difference. There are still just as many self-important ones crowding the gates as before with three carryon bags and a Bluetooth in their ear.
If anything, the OPM flyer has gotten grumpier because there is so much less upgrade space to go around these days and work only allows purchasing of Y.
If anything, the OPM flyer has gotten grumpier because there is so much less upgrade space to go around these days and work only allows purchasing of Y.
Jun 29, 2023, 8:23 am
#410
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 949
Compared to what? Leisure travelers that show up to the lounge (cc entrance) with several miserable juvenile delinquents that run all over the place while the parents get smashed on the free booze while engrossing themselves in their phone.
Jun 29, 2023, 8:41 am
#411
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
It seems to be leisure travelers that have been driving prices up like crazy and packing up the planes and places in the last couple of years. A lot of this is a function of a lot more remote working flexibility than there used to be for a traveling household member, and so such households have gone from primarily business travel alone to primarily leisure or hybrid travel (whether alone, as a couple/family or in other groups).
Jun 30, 2023, 11:18 am
#412
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,596
I fully support any business travelers who can bring their family for part or all of the trip. My father traveled a lot when I was younger and I enjoy my memories of family trips when he had to work during part of it. Now a lot of my friends have big business travel and I definitely hear about it when I’m driving their kids in carpool. My child’s volleyball teammate was definitely bummed out that her father couldn’t attend the volleyball championship match. Mega bummed. I was there and I STILL rewatch my videos of it.
Jun 30, 2023, 4:44 pm
#414
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 123
What grinds my gears is travelers of whatever type verbally abusing airline staff while demanding something that they are not entitled to or that the employee cannot provide. I really can't blame customer-facing employees not being able to deliver good customer service after being on the receiving end of that sort of barrage. Case in point, I once observed a passenger deliver an abusive and obscene tirade about a delayed bag - as if enough abuse would cause the bag to materialize on the spot. It's not like anyone is earning trust fund money as a gate agent or baggage clerk.
Jun 30, 2023, 10:11 pm
#415
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,039
Exactly. Rude behavior by passengers speaks for itself, and says more about themselves than anything else they may say or do. 
Let us pray that hard-working customer service employees may learn to let the abuse "slide off", and not be personally affected by it. 🙏 ✈
Life is hard enough without internalizing mistreatment, or taking it out on others.
Let us pray that hard-working customer service employees may learn to let the abuse "slide off", and not be personally affected by it. 🙏 ✈
Life is hard enough without internalizing mistreatment, or taking it out on others.
Jul 1, 2023, 5:38 am
#416
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
What grinds my gears is travelers of whatever type verbally abusing airline staff while demanding something that they are not entitled to or that the employee cannot provide. I really can't blame customer-facing employees not being able to deliver good customer service after being on the receiving end of that sort of barrage. Case in point, I once observed a passenger deliver an abusive and obscene tirade about a delayed bag - as if enough abuse would cause the bag to materialize on the spot. It's not like anyone is earning trust fund money as a gate agent or baggage clerk.
Jul 1, 2023, 10:16 am
#417
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
What grinds my gears is travelers of whatever type verbally abusing airline staff while demanding something that they are not entitled to or that the employee cannot provide. I really can't blame customer-facing employees not being able to deliver good customer service after being on the receiving end of that sort of barrage. Case in point, I once observed a passenger deliver an abusive and obscene tirade about a delayed bag - as if enough abuse would cause the bag to materialize on the spot. It's not like anyone is earning trust fund money as a gate agent or baggage clerk.
While the self-defeating travelers are in no short supply, I certainly haven’t seen this behavior be any more characteristic of US business travelers post-9/11 than it is with other travelers.